Christmas cranks into gear this weekend, here's our Guide to all the must-see entertainment.

*THIS weekend is the first opportunity to see Dick Whittington, this year's Weymouth panto.

With the curtain going up on Saturday, this rags-to-riches story tells the tale of a boy from Weymouth who travels all the way to London to make is fortune, believing that the streets there are paved with gold! In actual fact, the streets are covered in rats – there’s an infestation of rodents throughout the city and it’ll be up to Dick and his funny feline friend to save the day and overthrow the Mistress of Misery...the Duchess of the Drains... the almighty villain – Queen Rat!

Tickets are on sale from Weymouth Pavilion's box office.

*WEYMOUTH Drama Club is staging a comedic Christmas at the Warehouse Theatre in Weymouth tonight and tomorrow at 7.30pm.

Members will perform Immaculate, the story of a girl called Mia who wakes up pregnant one morning with the Angel Gabriel claiming parentage. Things quickly spiral into farcical confusion. Tickets are £10 each, available from weymouthdramaclub.com

*JOIN the Crossways handbell ringers for festive tunes and carols in the café of the Shire Hall Museum this afternoon at 3pm.

Escape the rush of Christmas shopping for an hour, for a bit of festive music alongside a steamy cup of hot chocolate or a warming glass of mulled wine.

*AN ANNUAL Christmas Fair is being held at Weymouth Fire Station in Radipole Road tomorrow (15) from 11am to 2pm.

The Fire Cracker is a family event with lots to see and do. See Father Christmas arrive at 11.15am and watch stunning fire displays, look around emergency vehicles, listen to local choirs and watch local majorettes twirl their batons. There will be a bird display, stalls and raffles, hot food and drink and don't forget to bring your favourite teddy to Zip Wire from the Drill Tower if they are brave enough!

*HEAD to Weymouth Beach on Sunday to see a load of Santas chasing after a pudding or have a go at chasing it yourself on a 5km course.

There is also a 2km Chase the Elf event for the under 14s.

Registration on the day opens at 9.30am, the mass warm up is 10.45am and the race starts 11am. It costs £15 for adults to enter and includes a Santa suit and Christmas pudding or costs £10 without a Santa suit or £5 for under 16s, who are invited to come along in fancy dress.

*HEAR a double bass made out of scrap metal and heart-wrenching vocals at Winfrith Village Hall at 7.30pm on Sunday.

The Churchfitters will perform a mouth-watering selection of favourites from their regular repertoire, interlaced with traditional and original festive songs and Christmas carols as part of their Christmas Cracker on the Artsreach circuit. Call 01305 853783 for tickets.

*A CLASSIC children's story will be brought to life on the stage at Dorchester Corn Exchange on Sunday, December 16.

The Last Baguette will use visual story telling, live music and puppetry to shine a light on Hans Christian Andersen's classic winter tale The Little Match Girl.

There will be two performances on Sunday, one at 1.30pm and the second at 4.30pm. Contact Dorchester Arts for tickets.

*JOIN the Ridgeway Singers and Band for a traditional Christmas at Charlton Down Herrison Hall near Dorchester on Sunday from 4pm.

With their roots in the South Dorset Ridgeway and inspired by the rich sources of locally collected folk songs and West Gallery carols, the Ridgeway Singers and Band led by Tim Laycock and Phil Humphries have once again tuned their fiddles and voices to present a joyous celebration of Christmas past and present, including works from the Puddletown, Durweston and Hinton St Mary manuscripts together with newly composed carols in the Dorset tradition.

Call 01305 264060 for tickets.